Card connectors have been widely used in personal computers, lap-top computers, notebook type computers and the like. A card connector typically comprises a shell assembly for accommodating memory devices in the form of a card, and a pin connector assembly. The shell assembly is often a double-deck structure to accommodate two cards, comprising upper and lower shell compartments to enclose at least a portion of each of the cards, and each shell compartment may be equipped with an ejection mechanism. The connection pins of the pin connector assembly are adapted to be received in receptacles of the memory devices inserted in the shell compartments (see, e.g., Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 6-332573 and 7-302645).
There are a variety of ways in which a card connector has been mounted in a computer. One such way is where a relay connector is fixed on a printed circuit board of the computer and a card connector is also fixed on the circuit board and the card connector is connected to the relay connector by a flat flexible cable. Another way is where a relay substrate is integrally connected to a pin connector assembly of a card connector and a relay connector is fixed on a printed circuit board of a computer. The card connector is connected to the relay connector through the relay substrate. Still another way is where a pin connector assembly is configured on a rear end thereof to mate with a relay connector which is mounted on a printed circuit board of the computer, and then the card connector is connected to the relay connector by mating the pin connector assembly to the relay connector. Also, a relay plate may be integrally connected to a pin connector assembly of a card connector, and one part of a relay connector may be fixed to the relay plate. The mating part of the relay connector is then fixed to a printed circuit board of the computer, and the card connector is then mounted in the computer by mating the two parts of the relay connector.
Use of a relay connector improves the efficiency and workability of equipping a computer with a card connector, but extra parts such as relay connectors, flat flexible cables, relay plates and the like contribute to higher assembly and component costs of the card connector.